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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24833053">I Panicked</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlacrityAbound/pseuds/AlacrityAbound'>AlacrityAbound</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>I Am Kuroko Tetsuya [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Badass Kuroko Tetsuya, Gen, Improper Use of the Ignite Pass, Kagami is a good friend, Kuroko Search Party, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mild Language, Minor Violence, because he has one now he keeps wandering off</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:48:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,765</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24833053</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlacrityAbound/pseuds/AlacrityAbound</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>While it was nice having such protective friends, Kuroko could very easily take care of himself. Logically, he needed some kind of muscle to throw a basketball across an entire court.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kagami Taiga &amp; Kuroko Tetsuya</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>I Am Kuroko Tetsuya [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1781164</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>252</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I Panicked</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I need more of Kuroko protecting his friends/proving he can pack a punch. He basically punches basketballs at ridiculous speeds, he’s got GUNS. You know Kuroko doesn’t joke around.</p>
<p>Also, this takes place during Last Game: after the Seirin vs. MiraGen game, but before Kagami leaves for America.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Being practically invisible had its perks. It was invaluable on nights where he lost track of the time and had to walk home rather than take the train. Even when people were deliberately looking for him, Kuroko could avoid them a majority of the time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If Kuroko didn’t want you to find him, you wouldn’t.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And yet again, Kagami got put on the Kuroko Search Party - along with Kise and Aomine. Sometime after their last game between Seirin and the Generation of Miracles, Kuroko had slipped out. He was probably a bit overwhelmed and needed some space, Kagami figured. After all, the kid had only just started smiling on a regular basis. He definitely still had some personal things to work out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But as the minutes passed and the excitement died down, the mild concern turned to mild worry. Thus, the Kuroko Search Party assembled. Aomine and Kagami were usually most in tune with Kuroko and Kise had a better shot at spotting him than most of the others. Between the three, they were more than enough.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took a bit longer than Kagami wanted, but he finally heard Kuroko’s quiet voice drifting along through the night. As he got closer, he started hearing the conversation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t like what he heard.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“--e down, please.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kagami picked up the pace.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know who you think you are, but like hell I’m letting some pathetic, weak, little shit like you get the last laugh!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not laughing. Are you, Nash-san?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you think this is a joke, freak?!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course not. I’m completely serious. I have no sense of humor.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s </span>
  <b>it!</b>
  <span> I’m finishing what I started at the club--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kagami skidded around the corner, heart racing, mind screaming </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit, shit, shit, shit</span>
  </em>
  <span> at the top of its metaphorical lungs. He saw Kuroko, held up by the collar of his shirt, pressed against the wall of the building by none other than Nash Gold Jr. Of course the bastard would take things off of the court, take it out on the one who performed the final steal of the game.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But before Kagami could intervene, Kuroko actually used his normally dormant self-preservation abilities. It was only because he’d practiced with Kuroko for so long, but he saw Kuroko’s right hand stiffen. He could see the fire roaring in Kuroko’s eyes, the minute observations being stored and utilized in that moment. A split second before it happened, Nash Gold Jr.’s Belial Eye must have alerted him of the absolute </span>
  <em>
    <span>shit show</span>
  </em>
  <span> he got himself involved with.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The air seemed to drop a couple degrees, Kuroko looking angrier than he had in...well, since Kagami met the guy. And that was saying something. He thought that level of vitriol was reserved for someone like Hanamiya.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then again, Hanamiya kept his grudges to the court.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So that was probably why Kuroko did not hesitate in giving Nash Gold Jr. an Ignite Pass to the stomach.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wind knocked out of him, Nash immediately let Kuroko go as he dropped to the ground. Kagami watched, gobsmacked, as Kuroko gazed on with apparent disinterest. At that moment, he looked more like Akashi.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>That’s it,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Kagami thought, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I am never pissing him off. Ever.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You are a skilled player,” Kuroko stated, tone even and fierce, but quiet as ever. “Many people envy your abilities. How dare you disrespect basketball in this way? Vorpal Swords, my friends, my </span>
  <em>
    <span>team</span>
  </em>
  <span> and I, won this game. If you have a problem with that, then we settle it on the court.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nash was still trying to catch his breath as Kagami finally made his presence known. “Oi, Kuroko,” he started. “Everyone’s waiting for you. Let’s go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kuroko nodded, but before leaving, he had the audacity to </span>
  <em>
    <span>bow</span>
  </em>
  <span> to Nash. It was lower than usual for Kuroko and even the culturally oblivious Kagami could see it for what it was. This was as close to disrespectful someone as polite as Kuroko could get. Tongue in cheek, passive aggressive, and completely </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kuroko.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I await our next game, Nash-san.” And with that, Kuroko stood up and made his way towards Kagami. Smartly, Nash didn’t get up or provoke either of them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jesus Christ…” Kagami whispered, once both of them were out of Nash’s range. “I never want to get on your bad side.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kuroko ducked his head, bangs obscuring his eyes as the rest of his face remained neutral. “How much did you hear?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I saw you punch Nash’s lights out.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...I see.” Kuroko could never hide anything from Kagami. The hunched shoulders and clenched fists gave it away at first, but then Kuroko looked up and Kagami’s heart effectively broke. The anger, the fire inside of Kuroko, replaced by something approaching despair and anguish. He stopped and bowed low again. Unlike before, Kagami could sense nothing but guilt radiating from Kuroko. “I’m very sorry you saw me act so unsightly, Kagami-kun. Please forgive my actions.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once Kuroko stood upright again, Kagami’s hand shot out, latching onto sky blue hair. “Idiot, why are you apologizing? You scared the shit outta me! I thought Nash was gonna beat you up or--” No, he wasn’t going there. Thinking of Kuroko having to sit out an entire basketball tournament was too depressing. If Silver could break Murasakibara’s wrist like it was nothing, Nash would rip Kuroko in half.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Literally.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He most definitely intended to,” Kuroko informed evenly, still not looking quite back-to-normal yet. “He told me as much.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then why do you feel so guilty about defending yourself?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Silence. Kagami didn’t like that. It meant Kuroko was overthinking things or repressing his emotions, neither of which was entirely healthy for him. He’d have to let Furihata or (dare he say) Kise know about Kuroko’s habits. Someone had to keep an eye on him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Kagami waited for Kuroko, like he always did when Kuroko called him at ungodly hours or just needed some time to form his otherwise pretty damn articulate thoughts. Kuroko, never the bother, didn’t leave Kagami waiting long.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t like violence,” he settled on. “I don’t like when matters of basketball escalate to something so hurtful off the court. And I never want to be the one to cause such pain, Kagami-kun, not again.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kuroko,” Kagami tightened his grip the slightest bit. It wasn’t enough to be painful - he would never intentionally hurt Kuroko in one of these moments (the same could not be said when Kuroko felt that he deserved a jab to the ribs) - but enough to be grounding. Comforting. “This was different. He was going to hurt you, and not for the first time.” They’d been a few seconds too late, but he never wanted to hear that soft, pained cry from Kuroko ever again. He still had a massive bruise from the incident, it had to hurt or ache at the very least. If that’s how Kuroko reacted to being kicked in the stomach, Kagami didn’t want to know what would happen if the attack was </span>
  <em>
    <span>worse.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That doesn’t excuse my actions. He hadn’t done anything. I panicked.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If it was anyone else, Kagami would’ve taken the admission at face-value. But this was Kuroko. Kuroko </span>
  <em>
    <span>didn't</span>
  </em>
  <span> panic. Kuroko Tetsuya was never impulsive when violence towards others was involved. Standing up to bullies was one thing, basically punching Nash Gold Jr. was another.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey.” This time, Kagami placed both hands on Kuroko’s shoulders. “This wasn’t like you, which means </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> happened. Are you ok?” Before Kuroko could open his mouth, Kagami added, “Please, be honest with me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And that request made all the difference.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their eyes met and Kagami couldn’t hold back a gasp. Now, Kuroko looked </span>
  <em>
    <span>terrified.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He didn’t say it, but…” Kuroko was shaking, though neither his expression or voice wavered. “He wanted to hurt me. I’m not sure how to explain it, but his eyes...it was like when Akashi-kun </span>
  <em>
    <span>broke</span>
  </em>
  <span> our opponents. He wanted to </span>
  <em>
    <span>break</span>
  </em>
  <span> me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The next part barely came out as a whisper, but to Kagami, it was everything. It made him want to stomp right back over to Nash and punch him so hard, he flew back to America. He wanted to kick and scream and make sure Nash knew to never, ever </span>
  <em>
    <span>fuck with Kuroko Tetsuya--</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He wanted to take </span>
  <em>
    <span>my</span>
  </em>
  <span> basketball away.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But all of that anger vanished in an instant. Instead, Kagami wrapped his arms around Kuroko, his shadow, </span>
  <em>
    <span>his best friend in the entire world</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and hugged him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Kuroko taught him, on and off the court, friendship was more important than revenge.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s ok, you’re ok,” he mumbled. Kuroko didn’t cry, it wasn’t like him to do so purely out of fear for himself, but he didn’t pull away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stayed like that until they heard Kise’s shouts. Right. Kuroko Search Party.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kuroko pulled away first, looking drained, but a bit more at ease. “Thank you, Kagami-kun. I’m incredibly blessed to have you as a friend.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Glad you’re back to being a total embarrassment,” Kagami mumbled, gruff yet teasing. Old rhythms. Old habits. “Seriously, don’t beat yourself up over it. He was going to hurt you. You did what you needed to do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“In time, I may believe that.” There was more to that statement, but Kagami couldn’t read the subtext. That was forbidden territory, the insecurities and sadness Kuroko never showed the world. Or at least, the world that could see him. Maybe someday, he would.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, before he left for America, Kagami would just have to draw that out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But for now, with the others growing closer to their location, Kagami dropped the subject. There would be another time and place for that discussion. For now, he’d go back to that one thing on his mind…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How’d you learn to punch so hard?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Silence.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kuroko leveled the most deadpan gaze he could muster. “Really, Kagami-kun? You’re asking that? How many times have you seen a Cyclone Pass or Ignite Pass?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>WHAT?!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is Kagami-kun implying that my passes require no arm strength to accomplish?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, when you put it like that--”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You did not look at my guns, Kagami-kun. I assure you, they’re alive and well.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stop saying that! You sound like a dork!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s still better than sounding like a Bakagami.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oi!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And the rest of the conversation descended into chaos from there. Thankfully, Kuroko’s mood seemed to lighten as the evening went on. Even so, Kagami made a mental note to continue checking in on his shadow. There wasn’t much time left.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kuroko healed something in Kagami. The least he could do was offer the same in return.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I just rewatched Last Game and I forgot how lonely Kagami was when he went back to Japan????</p>
<p>Kuroko and Kagami both helped each other. Kagami just wants to try to tie up loose ends before he leaves. Figured there was a time gap between the Vorpal Swords game and Kagami leaving since it's like, the height of summer during the game and then suddenly, everyone's in their fall/winter uniforms. Also, visas take a looooooong time.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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